Video coding is a process of preparing video (video data), where the video is encoded to meet proper formats and specifications for recording and playback. Video has evolved from two dimension (2D) to three dimension (3D). However, devices still make use of 2D encoders and decoders. For example, in order to be backward compatible with conventional 2D video encoders and decoders, one of the 3D views, which may be referred to as an independent view or base view, may be coded independently without reference to other views. Other views which may be referred to as dependent views or auxiliary views may be coded by utilizing correlations in the same view, but also correlations among neighboring views and associated depth maps.
In the example of a stereo case, multi-view video contains a large amount of inter-view statistical dependencies, since cameras may capture the same scene simultaneously from different points of view. These can be exploited for combined temporal prediction and inter-view prediction which are not only predicted from temporally neighboring pictures but also from corresponding pictures in adjacent coded views. Therefore, for a dependent view, the texture and depth can be predicted from the pictures of other coded views or previously coded pictures in the same view.
3D Video Coding (3DVC) refers to one of various video compression standard targeted to apply to 3D displays. 3DVC is governed by the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). 3DVC may be based on the High Efficient Video Coding (HEVC) standard, in which the HEVC is one of the latest conventional video coding standards. 3DVC may also be based on the traditional H.264/AVC. In 3DVC, Multi-view Video plus Depth (MVD) concept is used to represent 3D video content, in which a limited number of views and associated depth maps are coded and multiplexed into a bit stream. Camera parameters of each view are also packed into the bit stream for the purpose of view synthesis. For three dimensional or 3D video coding and compression, multiple views, associated depth maps, and camera parameters are coded in a bit stream to support various 3D video applications.
Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) is an in-loop filter technique adopted into the HEVC standard to improve the quality of reconstructed pictures. SAO filter parameters, including filter control flags, SAO types, offset values, etc., are determined by an encoder and then transmitted to a decoder. HEVC-3DVC is a next generation 3D video coding standard, in which the independent view is coded by HEVC encoder.
In video coding and compression, a continuing challenge exists to provide methods and processes that minimize the use of resources, such as computational resources. In particular, there is a continuing need to provide resource efficient coding and compression schemes for encoding and decoding. This becomes a greater goal as video coding and compression evolves to support 3D video.
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